Brian Lenihan has said that files are being prepared by gardaí for submission to the DPP, arising from the investigation into reckless lending by banks.
Speaking during the special two-day Dáil debate on the economy, the Minister for Finance said reckless lending was the core problem in the banks.
He reminded the Dáil he had previously stated that there had been serious issues of corporate governance in the banks and both gardaí and the Office of Corporate Enforcement had been investigating.
Fine Gael TD Leo Varadkar earlier said that top banking figures should be arrested and prosecuted, claiming they had 'done as much damage to the economy as subversives'.
The Fine Gael Communications and Energy Spokesman said the bankers must be treated as subversives.
Fine Gael Finance spokesman Michael Noonan said comments by Mr Varadkar reflects the way people feel at the moment.
Mr Noonan said the Minister for Justice has ways of contacting gardaí and that he should get a report into the investigations into the banking crisis and relay it's findings to the Dáil.
On the issue of the €15bn figure needed in the four-year budget plan, Mr Noonan said one would need a jobs and growth strategy to carry it forward.
He said the Labour Party suggestion would mean €7.5bn extra taxes will be imposed on people over the next four years and that all of that will not come off top earners - even though he said they should 'bear their share'.
He added that in his opinion, GDP should go below 10% or the price of borrowing will be high.
Last night, the Cabinet held another discussion on the Budget, and on the four-year economic framework due to be published next month.
Opposition deputies are anxious to discover exactly how much the Government is aiming to cut from spending, or raise in extra taxation, in December's Budget.
Ministers gave further consideration to that question at last night's Cabinet meeting - the third time they have discussed the Budget in as many days.
Wide differences are opening up between Government and Opposition, and between the Opposition parties, about how big the Budget adjustment should be, and how it should be divided between spending cuts and increased taxes.
Mr Cowen was this morning asked if there was any possibility of delaying the four-year budgetary plan and bringing forward the 7 December Budget.
He said: 'We are working away on both matters, the Cabinet is meeting regularly, we have set target dates to indicate the timing (of the budget plans), and we are working to those schedules.
'If the schedules change we'll let you know.'
